CHAPTER II: SLEEP LIKE FRIENDS

"C'mon sexy, open the door!" Tess tried to ignore the drunken slurs of her latest rat as she paced around her bathroom. He had seemed sweet enough, offering to share a cab from Grand Central with her, but a little bit of vodka tonic and presto! Instant rat! "Come on, open up, you'll love it, all the girls tell me how great I am! C'mon baby, let's party!"

Tess sighed and opened her bathroom window which led out onto the fire escape. She peeled off her Versacci knockoff dress and threw on a nightie and her robe, so as not to get her precious evening wear dirty. Even knockoffs weren't cheap in the Big Apple. Having changed she ambled out onto the fire escape just as the knocking and slurring got more violent. "Come on you teasin' bitch, open this door! I paid for yer dinner, I even gave ya cab fare ya didn't need, least I'se can get is a little sugar!"

Tess climbed up the fire escape and peered into the apartment above her. She knelt down out of view as she saw the little spoiled brat who was with Nash earlier walking about the bedroom gathering her things. Claudia, that was her name. Behind her, unconscious on the bed she saw Nash himself, sprawled out. There was little doubt what had been going on, and Tess knew it sure as hell wasn't decorating. Grinning, she kept peering in as Claudia deposited some cash on the nightstand and kissed Nash lightly on the forehead. 'Well, well, well...' mused Tess as she watched Claudia walk out the front door. 'Looks like Nash has got his own rat...'

The pounding coming from her apartment grew louder, and Tess opened up Nash's bedroom window and hopped in. The blonde man sat up in shock as he stared at Tess.

"It's OK!" she grinned at him, holding her robe shut. "It's just me, Tess. From downstairs, remember?"

"Right..." nodded Nash, looking around his apartment nervously. "Uh, now's really not a good time..."

"Don't worry, she's gone." Tess laughed as she walked around the room. "She keeps pretty late hours for a decorator, huh?"

Nash blushed and pulled his sheets up as he realized his bare chest was on full display. He knew he was a good-looking man and had nothing to be ashamed of, but his relationship with Claudia was one he was not anxious to advertise.

Tess walked over to the nightstand and picked up the cash Claudia had left. "Hmm, five hundred bucks." She grinned wickedly at Nash. "Is that an hourly rate, or does it pay for the whole night?"

Nash blushed harder and grabbed the money. "All right, it's time for you to leave!"

Tess knelt down at the side of the bed and smiled at him. "Hey, come on, I was just kidding. Believe me, I know how it is. I've got my own rats, you know. They all give me fifty dollars, cabfare home." She rubbed his hand lightly. "I'll leave if you want me to, but I've got quite the wild rat roaming free in my place. I thought I'd escape up here for a while... if you don't mind."

Another crash rang out from downstairs, startling them both. "Looks like we're both having an interesting evening..." Nash smirked at her.

"Ha ha." smirked Tess right back. "So, what do you do Nash, when you're not... decorating?"

"I'm a wine maker."

His neighbor looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "Wine, huh? I didn't realize grapes grew in Manhattan!"

Nash rolled his blue eyes at her. "I'm just here to round up investors for my vineyard. Once I'm funded I'll be heading back to Napa."

"Is decorator Claudia one of your investors?" Tess asked, fingering the money Nash still held in his hand. "She seems to have the fertilizer to spread around. In more ways than one."

Nash shook his head and placed the money back on the nightstand. "Her father's the one with the money. He gives her a lot to spend, but not THAT much. She's just helping me out while I'm in town."

"Why not ask Daddy Decorator then?"

Nash leaned back with a sigh and smiled ruefully. "Daddy Decorator is not one of my biggest fans. He thinks I'm using his little girl for her money... or rather his money."

"Aren't you?" Tess asked smugly with a raised eyebrow. Nash didn't respond, but looked away with a guilty expression on his face. Tess laughed again and stood up to stroll around the room. "So, have you actually made any wine? Or is it all still a dream?"

Nash pointed proudly to a wooden crate in a dark corner near his dresser. "Open that up and see for yourself."

Tess did so with a small 'ah' of discovery. "Wow, you made all these wines?"

"Just one vintage, twelve bottles. It came out pretty well for an early year, but unfortunately a bug got into the vines. Bad luck early on in a vine cycle. Those twelve bottles are all that are left."

Tess nodded with an impressed expression. "Wow. So I guess you're not all talk." She stood up and walked back to stand over him. "So what's the master plan for getting back in the game?"

Nash blushed again. "I'm... still working on that."

Tess looked at his with a knowing expression. "Yeah, it's hard to get off the mat when you've been knocked down. But something tells me you can do it." Another crash rang out from down in her apartment. She looked at Nash with a worried expression. "We're friends, right Nash?"

The young man was about to crack a joke about just meeting her, but stopped when he saw the earnest, pleading countenance on her face. "Yeah, sure. We're friends."

Tess took of her robe revealing a silk nightie clinging to am amazing figure. Nash blinked twice in appreciation, but her next words quickly put the brakes on any shenanigans. "Can I stay here for a while? We can go to sleep together. As friends, you know? I don't... want to be alone."

It was a strange request from someone so new to his life, but the idea just felt right for some unknown reason. Nash made no reply, but held his hand out to her. She took it and lay down next to him, her head resting comfortably in the crook of his neck. Nash felt desire at the feel of her soft curves, but suppressed it, though with difficulty. This girl clearly needed a friend. So did he for that matter. He looked down and saw she was already asleep, her warm breath on his neck arousing him still further. He sighed and watched the shadows on his wall. Unlike the angel at his side, sleep would not come easy for him.

A couple hours later Nash had still failed to fall asleep. Tess started to stir next to him, crying out softly. "No... mommy, daddy where are you? No, I don't want to do this... please don't make me..." With a gasp she awoke and looked at Nash peering down at her, a concerned look on his face.

"What were you dreaming about?"

Tess glared at him and pulled away. "Listen, if we're gonna be friends there's something you better remember." She stood up. "I hate snoops!" Grabbing her robe she ran out through the window and back down the fire escape leaving a confused Nash behind.